


Tradeoffs

by TheLilyoftheValley



Series: Happy Little Surprises [6]
Category: Ratchet & Clank
Genre: AUs, Blind!Ratchet, F/F, F/M, M/M, OCxCanon ships, Other peeps characters, SeeingEye!Clank
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 05:50:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLilyoftheValley/pseuds/TheLilyoftheValley
Summary: A collection of minor art trades (and one gift) I did with awesome peeps. A page to a page and a half of fic for a headshot of art. Sashangela, Blind!Ratchet AU, Minarious, Kayarious, and Pent.





	1. manpencil Trade: Sleeping Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> (Yes, this page-long drabble format is what I'm really digging at the moment. I will be posting longer things soon, but for now, I really like making short stuff in the limited time I usually have.
> 
> Because I don't have any impulse control, I opened up a little Minor Art Trade thing on one of the Ratchet and Clank Discord servers I'm on. A page to a page and a half of fluff for a headshot of a character I wanted. I opened four spots, and they were taken up. These are those four stories, and I'm super glad that these lovely peeps of mine wanted to do an art trade with me! :D
> 
> Since this is a collection of completely different stories, I'll be including the General Summaries with each [that's how I write; title first, then summary of the story right under it]. I didn't want to upload them all separately since that would be a real pain in the ass for a lot of other authors here. Collection is much better for now! :]
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the story ideas, and check out the lovely people when you can!)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And let me tell y'all, this story idea was so sweet I'm still currently on Life Support.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Summary: Sashangela. Art trade with Killer_MEME on Discord. Angela finds out that her girlfriend looks really adorable when she's asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Yes, this page-long drabble format is what I'm really digging at the moment. I will be posting longer things soon, but for now, I really like making short stuff in the limited time I usually have.
> 
> Because I don't have any impulse control, I opened up a little Minor Art Trade thing on one of the Ratchet and Clank Discord servers I'm on. A page to a page and a half of fluff for a headshot of a character I wanted. I opened four spots, and they were taken up. These are those four stories, and I'm super glad that these lovely peeps of mine wanted to do an art trade with me! :D
> 
> Since this is a collection of completely different stories, I'll be including the General Summaries with each [that's how I write; title first, then summary of the story right under it]. I didn't want to upload them all separately since that would be a real pain in the ass for a lot of other authors here. Collection is much better for now! :]
> 
> Hope you all enjoy the story ideas, and check out the lovely people when you can!)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And let me tell y'all, this story idea was so sweet I'm still currently on Life Support.

 Sleeping Beauty

The light from the holo-vision screen painted their bodies in an eerie blue light, and Angela felt a smile grow on her face when her ears picked up the soft snores from her girlfriend.

She turned her head. Her shoulder was occupied, so it seemed. One corner of her mouth grew higher than the other, and a giggle trapped itself in her throat as she basked in the sweetness of her girlfriend's face.

Sasha's eyes were closed, relaxed and oblivious to the light of the action movie they had been watching. A small smile rested on the lower half of her face and her hair drooped over her cheek.

Angela reached over and carefully hooked the stray hair back over her girlfriend's cheek. She sighed as Sasha snuggled closer to her, pushing her forehead a little harder against the Lombax's shoulder.

That gooey feeling spread through every limb in her body, and that smile that wouldn't seem to go away grew a little bit bigger.

"Alright Sash, I think you might need to lay down," Angela whispered softly.

She shifted, ever careful not to wake the lovely lady next to her. Angela moved Sasha, laying the girl horizontally and resting her girlfriend's head delicately against her lap. She lifted the blanket off of her, and spread it out over the Cazar's still form.

Sasha's sleeping face looked up to meet Angela's awake one. The Lombax felt a ball of warmth curl in her chest as she stared down at the peaceful expression.

Sasha had been so busy the past week. There hadn't been a moment where the Cazar could rest so to speak; her father had needed her to act as a diplomat to different planets, soothe the worries of politicians, work with public service providers in between signing and approving legal documents…

It had been almost endless, but now the Cazar was finally allowed a moment to rest.

Angela couldn't help but sigh again. Her eyes took in every detail of Sasha's face.  _How'd I get lucky enough to have an amazing woman like her?_

Her emotions acted before her mind could catch up.

Angela dipped her head down, curling into an uncomfortable position. Her lips gently pressed against Sasha's forehead, firm but soft enough to not wake her girlfriend.

Her lips lingered for a moment before her body slowly began to straighten.

As her face moved away from Sasha's, a hand that wasn't her own moved and cupped her cheek. Angela felt her head being pulled back down, back towards Sasha's.

Lips pressed against hers, and she could feel Sasha's sly smile growing.

They broke, and Angela made a little sound. "Sash, really uncomfortable position here."

The Cazar dropped her hand, and Angela laid back against the couch cushion. She heard Sasha's quiet laugh.

"Gotcha," Sasha murmured.

Angela snorted. "You know, if you wanted a kiss, you could've just asked for one."

A little smirk painted the Cazar's mouth. "Nah. Where's the fun in that?"

The Lombax rolled her eyes as she reached over her girlfriend's body for the remote. She nabbed it off the coffee table, and with a short tap of the power button, the holo-vision light shut off. The nightlights in their apartment provided Angela with all the light she needed.

She hooked her arms under Sasha's body and stood, her sleepy partner in a bridal position in her arms.

"Come on, sweetheart," Angela murmured softly as she headed for their bedroom. "You're tuckered out from this week. Let's get some sleep."

"Mm, cuddle with me."

The Lombax felt the warmth sweep over her again. "Of course, dear. I wouldn't have it any other way."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspo: "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding (Airia Remix)
> 
> Again, a huge thanks to Killer_MEME for participating in an art trade with me! I had a blast writing this!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> XD


	2. Chinterra Trade: Words on the Page

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Summary: Blind!Ratchet AU. Art trade with Chinterra of Deviantart. Clank likes to read to Ratchet on days when the Lombax feels down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Hehhehheh, I swear, I'm not gunna get enough of this AU.)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. The Blind!Ratchet AU, Eon the Rivian, and the Rivian specie as a whole belong to Chinterra of Deviantart. This one was one that I kinda accidentally super got into and didn't leave my chair for an hour because of it.

Words on the Page

"'And within an instant, his Mag-boots latched onto the magnetic surface, allowing Opulence to continue fighting his opponent at a new angle!'"

Ratchet's ears twitched and the Lombax shifted to the edge of his seat. He stared straight past Clank, his milky white eyes not focusing on anything in particular. He gripped the blanket in his lap. "What happens next, Clank? Come on, I gotta know!"

The little robot giggled as he looked at his friend. "Of course, Ratchet. We are at the best part after all…"

Clank looked down. "'He whipped out the Combuster, ready for action. The sensors in his shoes sent out another radar pulse, and within a moment, Opulence had a perfect bearing of where his opponent and the other disconnected platforms in the area were located.'"

The little robot moved his hands as he read, acting out some of the more exciting portions as he narrated. "'Opulence narrowed his blind eyes at the direction of Eon. The Cataur yelled out at the Rivian. "You shall not conquer this planet, Eon!" he snarled.'"

Ratchet gasped as he bobbed up and down in his seat. "Oh gosh, I don't know if I want to know what happens next." The Lombax chewed his lip as he shifted. "Yes, go on- Wait- No, don't tell me- Wait- Maybe-"

Clank giggled again as he watched the Lombax argue with himself. "You know, Ratchet, that getting something over with is much simpler than letting it dwell within you…"

"I know, I know." Ratchet took a deep breath before settling back in his comfy armchair. "Alright, I think I'm ready for the next part."

Clank smiled as he turned from his friend back to the page.

"'Eon laughed, the evil empress glaring down at the blind hero. 'You think you can beat me, you pathetic little weakling?' she roared over the noise of the starship engines. 'You cannot even see, and you dare think that you can defeat the greatest conqueror this universe has ever seen?!'"

Ratchet swallowed. "Come on, Op. You got this. Come on, come on…"

"'Eon drew out a pistol and fired at Opulence. The spark of the electric currents nearly fried his tail off. But Opulence was not a hero that gave up that lightly.

"'He dodged the shot, nimbly leaping over to the next platform. The Cataur felt his body hit the platform heavily, but just as he landed, an electric current surged through his body!'"

"NO!" Ratchet cried out as he jumped in his seat.

"'He collapsed to the ground, twitching as Eon cackled over her prey…'"

Clank watched as Ratchet cradled his head in his hands, visibly distraught at the line. "Come on, Op. You gotta get up. You can do this. You gotta get up…"

The little robot sent his friend a soft, comforting smile before turning his head away to allow his friend a moment to calm himself back down.

Clank's optics settled on the bookcase on the far end of their small living room. Books of all shapes and sizes littered the shelves, and a rainbow of colors lay between the dark wood. Bookmarks, most of them never making it to the halfway point of the novel stuck out of each book like flags. There were all kinds of books on the shelves.

Books that had heroes that were physically fit in every possible way. Books that had heroes that were at the peak of their species, heroes that could fight on and always get the happy ending. Books that had heroes that caused Ratchet a lot of pain.

Books that had heroes that weren't anything like the Lombax.

Ratchet took a deep breath, and Clank turned his attention back to the Lombax. "Okay," Ratchet said as he took another deep breath, "I'm good. I gotta know what happens next."

Clank looked down at the tablet in his lap, the large book draft the robot and Elaris had slaved over open. It had taken the two Rangers weeks to write something fun and interesting, let alone factual, but after all the hard work, they had a story for their blind friend.

Clank smiled as heard Ratchet's body shift farther under the blanket, ready for what was to come.

For all the stories of heroes championing the role they were always meant for, there were always a few that had heroes that were like the people they strove to protect.

And if Clank had to write a whole book series about a blind hero saving the universe to make his friend feel comfortable in his own body… well.

Clank hadn't hesitated for one second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A humongous thank you to Chinterra for agreeing to do an art trade with me, and letting me write Eon! For those that don't know, Eon is an entirely separate character from the RaC series, and is one that has her own separate universe. Chinterra has a couple drawings of Eon on her Deviantart account, and if you like the Blind!Ratchet AU, Sly Cooper, or Invader Zim, check out her stuff! She works real hard on all of it, and I'm always happy when she lets me use her characters!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed!
> 
> XD


	3. drneffy Trade: Couch Algorithms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Summary: Minarious [OCxCanon]. Art trade with drneffy of Instagram/ RobotThot of DA. Seriously… how the heck did a person half his size take up 3/4ths of his couch?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*cries* So this story was inspired by one of my favorite art pieces by drneffy. She's a Ratchet and Clank artist with a really cool Markazian OC named Mina [and she's overall a super awesome person to talk to], and she wanted to do a minor art trade with me!
> 
> Thank you for letting me write your OC my dude! I hope I did her justice!)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. Mina belongs to drneffy of Instagram. *sobs* Thank you for letting me blab on about how much I love Gabe, it literally made my day, and I hope this piece sends you some happiness in return.

Couch Algorithms

He tapped a metal claw to his chin, optics focused on the still form on his couch.

A snore echoed out of Mina's mouth. The Markazain was fast asleep, oblivious to the world around her.

A world where her short-tempered sort-of, kinda boyfriend was trying to figure out the impossible.

A whine of frustration came from Nefarious' mouthpiece as his optics narrowed into slits. His wrists moved to his hips, and he leaned over her as the gears in his head whirred.

His foot kicked out and thunked against her leg.

" _OW_!"

"How?" Nefarious asked as narrowed green eyes glared up at him. "How is it that you take up three-fourths of my couch when you're literally half my size?!"

An annoyed groan met his question. "Dunno know. Don't care. Lemme sleep."

The scientist leaned back, throwing his arms wide. "IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE! HOW IN THE ZONI ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"

"Shhhh… sleep…"

He whirled back around and stomped towards her. He stood over her, and with a normal-level voice sneered, "Well then, if my math is correct, then you're a son of a bi-"

A pillow smacked into his face.

"Your math's wrong. Slep."

Nefarious' hand clutched the small little cushion and slowly dragged it off his face. He shook slightly as he glared down at the body.

The cushion clapped against Mina's back, a loud  _SMACK_  echoing throughout the little room.

The Markazian jerked, and in a moment, she jolted into a sitting position. Her hand grabbed the other couch cushion as she stood. "Oh, so that's how it is?" she asked, the threat rising in her voice.

Nefarious dropped into an offensive position and clutched his pillow. "You think I'm going to back down from a PILLOW FIGHT?!"

Mina mirrored his stance, and for a single moment, two sets of slitted eyes glared at each other.

Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

Lawrence mimicked a sigh as he unlocked the door to his boss' quarters, delicately looking up from his tablet. He raised a finger as he stepped inside.

"I do beg your pardon, sir, but-"

As the door to Nefarious' room slammed shut behind Lawrence, feathers erupted from the pillows and filled the air. Mina and Nefarious fell to the ground, pained groans coming from them as the empty cushion covers slapped against the floor.

Everything was silent for a moment as the feathers drifted to the floor.

Lawrence blinked. After another quiet moment, he mimicked another sigh. "Who…?"

Two fingers jerked into the air and pointed at the opposite creature.

"He started it."

"YOU HIT ME FIRST!"

"You were the one that wanted to smack me with couch cushions while I was trying to sleep!"

The butler rested a hand to his tired head as the arguing continued.

When were they going to realize that if Mina just slept in the bed with Nefarious like they both wanted, they could have avoided all the drama?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspo: "This Little Girl" by Cady Groves. I've been told it's a total Mina song, so I'm glad my song inspo matched up well with the character.
> 
> Thank you my dude for doing an art trade with me, and thank you for letting me write a drabble for one of your art pieces! I hope you liked it!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed too, and if you have an Instagram, check out drneffy when you can! She's so amazing, and she's an inspirational to me. I can't thank her enough for wanting to draw some stoof for me in return for a fic. Other than that, see you all in the next story!
> 
> XD


	4. OmniscientPapaya Trade: The Unnatural

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Summary: Aged Up AU. Kayarious. The Cazar Kaya belongs to OmniscientPapaya of Instagram/KayaThatOnePapaya of Deviantart. A tip kids! Don't prank your boyfriend into thinking he's completely lost all his sanity. Not that he had much to begin with, but the principle still stands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I'm finally doing an art trade with my amazing fandom child and that's about all that has to be said.
> 
> ...And the explanation of the AU beforehand [almost forgot]. This is an Aged Up AU of Kaya's OC because it would feel quite weird for me to write a minor having a relationship with an adult. Kaya can do whatever she wants in terms of shipping, but for me, I'll be writing her OC when the Cazar girl is about 20-21 years old to not bring up any problems. I have the creator's permission to do that, and I'm happy to write stories for her cri.
> 
> Okay, now onto the story!)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. And thank you my child for sending me so much love YOU NEED ALL THE LOVE BACK AHH!

The Unnatural

As soon as his foot passed the threshold of the living room, Nefarious knew something was gravely wrong.

A "unnaturalness" penetrated every fiber of his being, and with a fearful glance, he peeked over his tablet.

The living room was completely empty. Everything was in proper order, and the cushions were still messed up from the movie night they had the night before. Blanket still thrown to the side of the couch, the holo-vision off…

His optics looked beyond the living room and drifted to the breakfast bar by the edges of the kitchen and the living room.

Kaya sat on one of the stools, a box of cereal, a plastic carton of milk, and an empty green bowl in front of her. The light brown Cazar stared back at her boyfriend, her gaze betraying nothing.

One of his fingers clicked the tablet off, the little sound echoing through the dead silent room.

After a moment, he took the bait. "What the hell is going on?"

The Cazar remained impassive. "What do you mean, sweetheart? I'm just about to have breakfast…"

Nefarious' optics darted between the three items in front of his girlfriend. The feeling in his chest grew. "Something's wrong here."

Kaya cracked a small smile. "Look, I'm just about to eat breakfast like any normal person would. Nothing's wrong."

The suspense was killing him. "Prove it," the scientist countered, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kaya grinned sweetly and shifted in her seat.

She then reached for the milk carton.

"Really?!" Relief flooded every wire in his body as he watched his girlfriend pop the cap off the milk carton. "Come on, don't pour the milk first like some kind of monst-"

Qwark-Os poured out of the milk carton as Kaya stared straight into Nefarious' optics, her face devoid of all emotion.

That's when the crime against nature really hit him.

His mouthpiece trembled as he watched Kaya shake the carton, getting more cereal out. His body shook, and a strangled sound came out of his throat as his optics shrunk to pinpricks. His mouthpiece moved, but only a whisper came out. " _What the fu-_ "

"Like I said Neffy," she said as she set the carton back down. "I'm just having breakfast like a normal person would."

Her gaze didn't break as she reached for the open box of Qwark-Os.

" _ **Don't.**_ "

White milk poured out of the Qwark-Os box into the bowl.

He lost his mind.

The tablet clattered against the floor as Nefarious fell to his knees. The robot's gaze was still locked with his girlfriend's, stoic green eyes to terrified red optics.

Was this really how squishies ate breakfast these days? When was the last time he had seen his girlfriend eat cereal? When was the last time he had seen someone else eat cereal? Why did the fibers of his soul completely die and leave a hollow shell of his old self?

The Cazar lowered the carton back down and picked up a spoon that had been hidden behind the bowl. It dipped into the bowl, and as Kaya lifted the cereal to her mouth, she smiled.

"What'd I tell you? Completely normal."

She stuck the spoon in her mouth, pulled it back out, and chewed.

Nefarious' scream of abject horror almost shattered the windows.

* * *

"Do you feel better now?"

The robot hugged the blanket to his chest, pressing his body closer to the stack of pillows. His knees shifted to better fit on the couch. Grumbles came from him as Kaya hugged him close.

"Please promise me you won't be that freaky again," he finally said, his voice still rough from the intensity of his scream. His eyes stayed locked on the  _Lance and Janice_  marathon in front of him.

The Cazar squeezed Nefarious. "I promise not to dip into the unnatural the next time I decide to prank you." She stretched out and kissed his cheek. "I'll even put the milk back in the carton."

She didn't get an answer from him.

She settled back down to watch the rest of the episode, still holding onto her boyfriend as she waited for him to come out of his shell.

In the final moments of the episode, a metal arm reached around her and snuggled her closer to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspos: "Don't Play" by Halsey (Male Version) and "Horns" by Bryce Fox (STéLOUSE Remix)
> 
> Yes, this is an actual thing. A user by boxoftumblr on Instagram made it (least I think they did) and I felt so uncomfortable that I knew it was going to be an amazing story idea. Miss OmniscientPapaya wanted her OC to do it, so I wrote this out for her and I cri because I had such fun doing it. Thank you so much for doing an art trade with me Miss Papaya!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you all in the next story! :D
> 
> XD


	5. samanan7 Gift: Shredded for Protection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General Summary: TSGW Side-story (Somewhat canon). Inspired by Terradrone3's artwork. Pin's new security detail is um… really ripped. Like wow… was his chest sculpted by Orvus or something? …He should probably stop staring at this point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Again, let it be known that I have no impulse control.
> 
> This isn't part of the minor art trades I did with people, this is just a gift to samanan7 of his bois. I know it doesn't really fit in too much with the collection, but I don't want to publish too much at once and I don't want to have so many 1,000 + word pieces scattered all over the place.
> 
> Nonetheless, if you haven't checked out "The Second Great War" story on Deviantart and Ao3, then I urge you to have a look if you can! The story tries to bring a conclusion to the main timeline, and it's full of action and suspense! The writing team behind it works exceptionally hard, and there's a whole bunch of fanart for the fic already.
> 
> And apparently the new character, Kent, is one of those characters that makes everyone drop everything to create for? Terradrone3 on DA drew a design for him and doodled a little comic for the character, and I straight-up ignored multiple projects and chores of mine to write this. This fic is inspired by the comic Terra drew, so credit for the main idea goes to him.
> 
> Okay, I think I got all the credits done? Hope you all TSGW fans enjoy this story! :D)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet and Clank or any of its characters. "The Second Great War," Kent, and James Pin belong to samanan7 of Deviantart. The general idea for the story comes from a sketch dump that belongs to Terradrone3 of Deviantart. *wheeze* Based on a true reaction I have had...

Shredded for Protection

Damn.

Damn.

Just…  _damn_.

Pin was no stranger to the male Lombax form. He had one himself, and had ex-boyfriends that he had loved intimately. So…

This shouldn't have been affecting him as deeply as it was.

Kent, the new bodyguard he had been assigned, threw the workout towel around his neck as he headed for his backpack. "So General Oort has asked me to cover you during the next meeting. He says that there are still some of Tachyon's supporters littered throughout the galaxy, and that they'd love to take a crack at some of our strongest in body and mind." The Lombax wiped at the sweat on his forehead, the damp towel doing little to clean it off. "We'll need to come up with some back-up plans in the unlikely event they try anything at the next Council meeting," he said as he tried to wipe the sweat from his neck and shoulders.

Pin's mouth hung open as he tried to remember that oxygen was essential for living.

_What the_ _**hell** _ _?_

The scientist's green eyes locked onto the muscles in Kent's arm, and the scientific side of him wondered how big exactly his bodyguard's biceps were.

The thought about boiled his body.

"I was thinking," Kent continued, "since there's a little side-door off to the side of the main meeting hall, I could cover you as best I can and send you out before some of the other Generals and Elders." He stretched his arms across his chest, trying to loosen them after his workout. "I mean no offense James, but you aren't a crackshot, so some of the other Elders and Generals have offered to let you be one of the first ones out of the building if need be."

If he put a melon under Kent's arm, would his bodyguard be able to break it?

Hell, how fast would he be able to do it?

Kent crouched down, reaching for the energy drink in the pouch of his backpack. "I'll hopefully be by your side for the most part, but if I get separated from you, then you'll need to ditch me and follow another one of the bodyguards to the Safe Point."

Pin watched as the cream-colored Lombax stood and popped open the little cap. Kent bobbed his head from side-to-side as he weighed his options. "It's not ideal… I'd rather stick by you like glue, but whatever keeps you safe."

Okay, so there was no way Pin could get anymore flustered.

Then Kent began to drink.

The Lombax threw back the bottle in his left hand, tilting it upward as he gulped down the cold liquid. His right hand loosely grasped the towel… and a perfect view of his chest adorned Pin's vision.

Seriously, why was this a thing? How the hell was that guy so hot? It had to be a crime to be this…  _ripped_.

Muscles, still somewhat tense from Kent's workout, tensed under the cream-colored Lombax's skin. They were so defined, almost to the point where it was nothing but curves. His pectorals and abdominals were so shaped the gray-furred scientist was sure there was a scarlet blush on his face.

That would probably explain why his cheeks were scalding hot.

Then his eyes dipped a little further downward.

Jean capris hugged Kent's waist and thighs.

Oh.

Those were thighs that could definitely crush a melon.

It was possible that Pin's mouth dropped open a little further. Had his mouth been open?

A better question, when was the last time he had breathed?

Pin didn't see the growing, teasing smile grow on Kent's lips as the peach Lombax noticed the scientist's stare.

The bodyguard dipped the bottle back down as he looked over at the scientist. "Do you like what you see, James?"

"Came crashing back to reality" was an understatement.

Pin's mouth snapped shut as he remembered that in polite society, it was rude to stare at someone else for an uncomfortably long period of time. The Lombax felt the heat on his cheeks grow as he struggled to remember how to form sentences.

"Screw- off I'm- I'm considering- working?- On tech- melons-"

Yep. Perfect save.

Kent gave a playful laugh as he screwed the cap back onto his nearly-empty energy drink. "I'm a little surprised. Considering you're the guy that makes all the custom armors, you must have come across some ripped guys before."

Pin shook his head and cleared his throat loudly as his brain caught up with the present time. "I mean, I do get Lombaxes that have worked out, but uh… I haven't… well."

Kent's smile softened as he hoisted his backpack onto his shoulder and stepped over to Pin.

Pin felt his breath catch in his throat.

"You know James, if you ever want to take a night off from working and spend some time together, we could go somewhere nice." Kent nodded as his eyes met Pin's. "I know of a couple places where we could get some good food and have some fun on our off-time."

Pin nodded back, the Lombax somewhat aware of where he was. "Right, right, so food and fun…" Then the realization hit him. "Wait, like a date?" the scientist asked as he looked up at the slightly taller Lombax.

"Yeah," Kent said. "I wouldn't mind spending some time with you when we're away from all the military stuff. Get to know a bit of the real you."

"I'm gunna- uh, hav-have to check my schedule."

Kent brightened before a sly smirk slipped onto his face. His other hand reached for the towel around his neck, and his muscles tensed and coiled as he gently pulled the towel away from his neck.

"Besides," Kent purred as he let the towel hang from his fingers, "I usually like a little dinner first before I let a guy get closer to my muscles."

What was air?

Kent softened as he laughed, the Lombax giggling as he watched Pin tighten his grip on his tablet and heave in oxygen.

Pin sputtered as he tried to formulate a response. "Oh- screw off! You did that just to get a reaction out of me!"

The teasing glint sparked in Kent's eyes. "Of course," he admitted. "You look really cute when you look like you forgot what air is."

The grey Lombax straightened like a pole and tried to maintain a stoic face.

Kent grinned as he walked past Pin to the locker room. "I'm going to take a shower James, and then I'll be out and able to discuss how we want to do that back-up plan."

Pin nodded and stood still for a moment. Then a burning question tugged at his curiosity, and Pin whipped around. He quickly followed after the other male Lombax, rushing to catch up to Kent's side.

"Wait a minute, before you go, I'd like to know: can you crush a melon between your thighs?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Inspo: "Be My Baby" by Ariana Grande.
> 
> Alright, now that I've written the gays, I should have gotten out some of my impulses for now...
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, and I hope you liked it Sam! Thank you Terra for letting me write a little bit longer story about your comic, and thank you all for reading this collection! See you all in the next story! :)
> 
> XD

**Author's Note:**

> Song Inspo: "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding (Airia Remix)
> 
> Again, a huge thanks to Killer_MEME for participating in an art trade with me! I had a blast writing this!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> XD


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